Waiting
by SharinaMay
Summary: Emily rushes to the hospital after receiving an alarming phone call form Penelope that Hotch was injured. Story takes place in 2022, written for the Future Fic Challenge at CCOAC.
1. Chapter 1

Where was Reid when I needed him?

Sighing, I closed the file in my hands, only to replace it with another one. I always hated paperwork. And I certainly hadn't expected my business trip to D.C. to end up in a sea of paper trails …

"This is just ridiculous", my partner mumbled, just as annoyed as me.

"Tell me about it. Didn't they plan to be paperless by 2020?" I could recall the memo sent in early 2012…

Clyde rubbed his eyes. "That's never going to happen."

I hadn't been to the States for about a year, and my last visit that lasted more than two days had been five years ago, when Penny turned forthy. And this amount of paper would take days to go through. "I'm still leaving the day after tomorrow," I warned him. I would not spend my vacation trapped in here.

"Seriously? You would just leave me here by myself."

I stared at him for a moment and then replied 'Yes' in the driest tone I could muster.

"Darlin', you can't stay mad forever," he tried to remind me.

"Watch me," I challenged him.

"I said I'm sorry." Yes, about twenty times…

"You forgot me at the airport in Prague!" I shot him a death stare. Okay, his daughter had gone into labor, but that wasn't enough to let him off the hook easily.

"I came back, didn't I?" After his grandson was born, which was three days later….three days in hell, I would like to add. I was still trying to figure out why they hadn't allowed me to take a commercial flight back…

"Not helping." I looked through the next file.

My phone started ringing after we spent two hours in the small room they had given us. I couldn't remember the last time I was that glad that someone was calling me. A quick look at the ID told me that it was Garcia; this was going to be fun.

"Hey, Penny, what's up?"

"Em, where are you?" Garcia sounded alarmed.

"Still in the Hoover Building. Why?"

"You need to get here, a.s.a.p.!"

"Penelope, where should I go? What's going on?" I began to worry, she seemed really freaked out.

"Hotch was shot. He's in surgery." My heart dropped…this couldn't be happening. "It doesn't look good. He's at the Naval." I sank into my chair, trying hard to breathe normally.

"I'm on my way," I promised and hung up.

"What happened?" Clyde asked concerned and I filled him in.

"Come on, I'll drive you." He was already at the door, keys in hand. I didn't bother declining it; my only thought was getting there fast.

The one hour drive was nerve-wracking. I wasn't able to sit still, no matter how many times Clyde snapped, telling me I was driving him nuts. So when we finally reached the hospital, I nearly jumped out of the car and ran through the entrance hall.

"Emily!" Someone was calling my name. Turning around, I saw Garcia walking in my direction.  
I pulled her into a tight hug. "How is he?"

"We don't know, they aren't telling us anything. He's still in there," she told me, then her gaze fell upon Clyde and she greeted him.

"I'm going back, you'll call if you need anything." I nodded and he walked away.

"Who's here?" I asked while Penny was leading me further inside. She seemed a lot calmer than on the phone, but maybe I was just freaking so much by now, that everyone else appeared to be calm.  
"Jack is here, and Liv. They are in the waiting area. The others are taking care of the unsub."  
"What happened?" I couldn't make sense of the whole situation.

"I'm still trying to figure that out. They got called on a hostage situation and went in. Liv said Hotch had one unsub covered, and suddenly, they were wrestling and then there was a shot."

"Where was he shot?" Maybe asking was a bad idea, but not knowing was even worse.

"Chest..." The nausea hitting me was overwhelming, luckily I hadn't eaten in hours. Penny slowed down a bit and side-hugged me, boy I had to look bad… My inner turmoil got the best of me, because suddenly I turned angry, "Why the hell was he even there? He's the Section Chief, he's not supposed to leave his office!" Strauss had retired five years ago and Hotch had taken her place, while Morgan became the new Unit Chief of the BAU.

"You know him, he gets restless. Every time we get something in the neighborhood, he comes along." Yeah, that sounded a lot like him. I needed to calm down, being angry with him wasn't helping. It would only make me feel guilty afterwards.

"Were you there?" I couldn't remember if she had said something about it.

"Technically, I'm still on maternity leave. I drove Jack here, because he wasn't in the condition to."

"Right, sorry." I rubbed my face and tried to take a few calming breaths, but it didn't work.

When we entered the room I could see Jack pacing the floor. He had grown a couple of inches again and was now as tall as his father. Jack looked a lot like him at that moment, his face serious and worried. I had seen this expression numerous times on Hotch's face…

"Emily," Jack sighed while I pulled him in a hug.

"How are you doing?" I really didn't know what else to say, everything sounded so meaningless.

"I…I don't know…"

"It's okay, you're not alone." He looked like he was about to cry.

I turned around to look at Olivia Vega, my 'replacement', who was sitting in a chair with her left arm in a sling. "What happened to you?"

"That jerk ran me over, I hit my shoulder pretty badly," the auburn haired agent answered, rather annoyed. We had met a few times over the last ten years. She was a polyglot, like me, but she had an absolute hearing, which gave her quite an arsenal of tricks.

I rubbed Jack's back before I sat down across from Liv, watching as Penny joined me. After a few minutes, Jack stopped pacing and took a seat beside Liv. We sat in complete silence, not really knowing what to say. My mind wandered around until I realized that someone was missing, someone who should be there…but I couldn't bring myself to ask.

And then, just like that, Olivia started singing Ave Maria. I saw the calming effect it had on Jack. He stopped tapping his foot and leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed. I could feel something myself, but it wasn't calming, it was tearing something inside of me apart.

The last time I had heard Ave Maria was in Italy, after my abortion. I had been sitting in the church, crying, with Matthew by my side. Right then, I had sworn I would never do something so stupid again, something that I would regret that much. Boy, had I been wrong.

And then, I felt Garcia's hand around mine. I turned to her and she gave me a watery smile. I squeezed her hand and let her lean her head on my shoulder.

Olivia sung for the next fifteen minutes, repeating the lines over and over again. When she stopped, she reached for Jack's hand and forced him to get up. "Come on, we'll take a walk. You need to stretch and get some fresh air. And then we'll get a Coke; we definitely need sugar."

Jack seemed to be reluctant. "Penny's got her phone. If something happens, she'll call," she assured him. He finally obeyed and they went away.

"Where's Beth?" I asked quietly. She should be here. Where the hell was she, when her fiancé was…

"They broke up."

"What?" I managed to spell out. That caused her sit back straight.

"Yeah, four months ago actually," Garcia confessed rather guiltily. "We didn't wanted you to get your hopes up and all."

"You thought I would rush to the next flight and fall to his feet?" Well, maybe I would have...

"Something like that, hon."

I rubbed my thumb over her hand before finally asking, "Why did they break up?"

"We don't know. Doesn't matter anyway, it's over."

I nodded, she was right. But I couldn't stop my mind from going into overdrive. This was all too much. I hadn't been ready for this. Just a week spending some time with my friends, that was the plan. And now I was sitting in a hospital, waiting on news if Hotch was going to be okay.

"What if I'm too late?" I asked suddenly. My breathing quickened, fear rising inside. "What if he's not going to make it off the table? He will be gone without knowing how I feel…"

I had been trying to deny it, forget it, get over him but it hadn't worked. I had dated in the last decade. One relationship lasted more than three years but I was never that into it. I called myself a fool a dozen of times, because he clearly didn't want me. He was with someone else. But the heart wants what the heart wants.

"He will be fine," Penelope promised me. I looked in her eyes, begging her to give me more reassurance because I couldn't find any myself.

"Everything happens for a reason and I refuse to believe that that was your story. You two are meant to be together, like Marshall and Lily or Carl and Ellie!" Well, she didn't say Romeo and Juliet or Cleopatra and Mark Antony, that counted for something…

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you are here, not across the Atlantic Ocean. You were right here, an hour away from him. That can't be a coincidence, and the universe isn't that cruel."

She pulled me into a hug. 'He's going to be all right, he's going to be all right,' I chanted to myself while crying silently in her shoulder.

"How's Gracie?" I asked after a while, because I hadn't before and I needed to hear some good news. She let go of me and I saw her face light up while she pulled out her phone to show the newest pictures of her three month old daughter. My favorite was where she was lying with Sergio on her parents' bed. I hadn't taken him to London, he was better off with Penelope than me. After all, I seldom was at my apartment.

The baby was beautiful. Tanned skin, blue eyes, and a breathtaking smile… "The genetically perfect offspring of Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia," I told her, smiling. She was glowing with motherly pride. Being a mother and wife had been the best thing that happened to her.

"Did you imagine that you would be married to Derek someday?" It always seemed so obvious to me, so obvious that I had never asked before.

"Not in this lifetime. Sometimes, I still wait for this bubble to burst and for me to wake up and find it to be just a dream."

"Your wedding certainly was a dream… but you forced me into that hideous dress," I replied, smiling.

"You locked me into a supply closet with Morgan," she reminded me.

Desperate times, drastic measures. They'd had a dispute six years ago and had refused to talk to each other for weeks. So, during my visit JJ, Liv, and I had locked them in a supply closet…which only made things worse.

They had kissed and made up on their own two weeks later; literally. All's well that ends well…

I started to take deep breaths again, hoping they would help me settle down.

After a good while, Jack and Liv returned with soda. I took the chance and stepped out to go to the ladies' room. Looking into the mirror, I saw my pale face and puffy eyes. Splashing water on my face, I made a deal with myself. I would tell Hotch the truth when he got better. When, not if, because him leaving was not an option anymore. I refused to think like that.

When I returned, Jack had stared pacing again. Maybe that was for the best; him sitting still was not working. Garcia and I sipped our sodas while Liv rummaged through her purse. She took out a rosary, made the Sign of the Cross, and started praying. She kept her tone low, switching between Latin and Spanish. JJ told me Liv's first husband was Spanish. He had passed away about twenty years ago because of cancer. Had she sat by his bed and prayed for him like that?

More time passed and Jack sat down again, this time beside me as to not interrupt Liv. At some point, I joined her in every Ave Maria because that was the only thing I could really muster, without stumbling over my words.

Almost three hours had passed since my arrival when I saw a doctor coming at us. My stomach tied up in a knot.

"Aaron Hotchner?"

"Yes!" Jack jumped up.

"We managed to repair the damage. He'll recover, but it might take a while." I felt like all the weight had fallen of my shoulders. Garcia hugged me. "He's sleeping now and will be for next couple of hours. He needs to rest."

"Can I see him?" Jack asked immediately.

"Only one at the time. Someone will get you when they settle him down." He left us.

Liv and Garcia stepped aside to call the others.

I stood up and rubbed Jack's back, because he still seemed rather tense. "He's going to be all right. Everything's gonna be okay." I wasn't sure who I was trying to comfort at the moment, but it didn't matter that much. Aaron was going to live, and for that, I was grateful.

"Do you think I should chain him to his office desk?" Jack asked me then.

I wasn't sure if it was a joke because he sounded so serious, but I smiled anyway because it felt right. "Sounds like a plan. I'll help you."

* * *

**So, what do you think? ****Let me know and leave a review, please.**

**Special thanks to SSAEmilyHotchner for being my Beta :)**

**Just in case you're wondering: Carl and Ellie are the elderly couple from 'Up'. One of the best love stories told in 10 minutes without words... **


	2. Chapter 2

A nurse picked us up and led us to Aaron's room. While Jack went in, Liv, Penny, and I took seats in the hallway. The whole atmosphere changed drastically; we were less anxious and nervous. The fear of losing him any moment was almost gone. Now we were just waiting for him to wake up.

I felt much better now, albeit a little bit lightheaded and hungry. Liv, on the other hand, looked worse. She always was fair but now she seemed as pale as the wall. "You all right?" Pen asked, concerned.

"Shoulder's throbbing," she groaned while rummaging in her purse, "could you open this for me?" She held out a bottle of painkillers. I took care of it while Penny offered Liv the last sip of her soda.

"Maybe we should call Naya or Greg to take you home," I suggested.

"I can't leave yet, they're running a blood test. I have to wait for the results. I'll be better when the meds kick in," she assured us while leaning back against the wall.

"Why do they want your blood tested?" Penny asked, alarmed.

"Relax, you sound like your husband, or mine for that matter." Liv pulled the sling aside, which revealed a wound across her forearm. "I cut myself on a rusty nail. They're going to test me over the next months to make sure I didn't catch anything." She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. I followed her lead and leaned back.

Since Clyde and I had done a chase around the globe searching for a phantom, I hadn't really talked to anyone in two weeks. So Penny and I started to share news. Dave was in Rome for a few days. After his retirement seven years ago, he had started travelling, and had even published two new books. He was the one who visited me the most. A well-known but never openly discussed fact was that Erin Strauss joined him every year for a week or two, wherever he was. What the two were actually doing remained a mystery, since we were a bunch of scared cats and didn't dare to ask. Penny hadn't informed him about Aaron's state, so he wouldn't get a heart attack, but was going to as soon as he woke up.

Apparently Reid had found a German shepherd that was so attached to him that it wouldn't leave his side. Henry was thrilled and promised to take care of Newton whenever Reid was out of town, since JJ still had a problem with big dogs. And Reid had picked up his movie dates with Ashley Seaver again.

One of the newbies left the team. Filling the spots of two agents was a hard task. Liv had joined the team three months after my departure and stayed ever since. Seaver had filled in first for Liv and then JJ when they went into maternity leave. But with Dave retiring and Aaron taking over Strauss's position, there had been five different agents trying to do the job. Julien Philips, a man in his mid-thirties, was the only one who seemed able to handle it. Morgan said he was doing a great job and JJ told me he got along with Reid pretty well. And even though Julien had a strange sense of humor and I didn't know him well, he was doing his job and kept them safe. That was all I needed to know.

While we were talking, a squeaky voice screamed, "EMMY!" I turned my head in the direction and saw the blond bundle of joy running towards me. I stood up just in time to catch Annie, who nearly caused me to fall backwards. I heard Penny and Liv laugh while Vivienne LaMontagne's intent seemed to be to never let me go again. JJ and Wills daughter had been born five years ago, and they had decided to grant me the title of godmother, along with Morgan as godfather. My guess was that this was JJ's reassurance that we would never lose contact. But I wasn't complaining, I loved the little girl.

"Hey, mother hen, it seems like you lost two of your protégées, one being your brother, I'd like to add," Liv chastised her daughter.

"I didn't lose them! Henry's at soccer practice, Will's going to pick him up. And as for Bobby, he's at your in-laws' house playing with his cousins. He begged me, so I let him go," Naya replied while pushing the buggy to Garcia. Amalia 'Naya' Vega was Liv's grown daughter; she must have been twenty-seven by now. Sometimes I forgot that Liv and I were the same age. "JJ called and said they would be here soon. Told me to come here. I hope that's okay, Penny. I tried calling you but your phone seems to hate me."

"It's fine, don't worry," Penny assured her, while checking her phone for the problem.

"What did they say?" Naya asked her mother.

"Everything is fine, Naya. It's just a bruise and a cut, nothing serious."

"Mama, you dislocated your shoulder!" She pulled her mother's sling aside and inspected the cut.

"You said you hit your shoulder," I repeated Liv's words form earlier. Damn that woman could lie…

"I said 'pretty badly'," she defended herself, while her daughter started to read her the riot act in Spanish with a calm voice so Annie wouldn't notice.

"How are you doing, pumpkin?" I asked the little girl in my arms, while running my hand through her blond locks.

"I missed you." She let go of my neck and looked me straight in the eyes. Boy, she had perfected that puppy-dog gaze of hers.

"I missed you, too." I kissed her cheek and tickled her sides, which caused her to giggle. She looked more and more like JJ every day, even more than Henry did, but she had Will's grey eyes. Meanwhile, Penny had taken Gracie out and was waiting for me.

"Annie, why don't you go over to Liv? She hurt her shoulder and could use some cheering up," I suggested, but Annie seemed to be reluctant to let me go. "You know, Emily hasn't met Gracie yet," Pen stepped in, counting on Annie's compassion.

"No?" Annie asked surprised.

"Have I visited you after Gracie was born?" I asked her. She thought about it and shook her head 'no'. "Do you think I would visit Gracie, without seeing you?" I clarified. She shook her head again. Thank God, she hasn't lost her faith in me yet.

"Let's make a deal: how about I hold Gracie for a while, and then I'm all yours again, okay?"

She beamed at me and pulled me near one more time. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I put her down and she ran to Liv.

Penny stepped closer to me. "Emily Prentiss, I'd like you to meet Grace Yvonne Morgan!" I took Gracie out of her hands. She was awake and looked at me with her blue eyes. Her skin was fairer than Morgan's but I couldn't really make out a resemblance to either parent yet. What I could say was that she looked cute enough to eat in her green baby-gro.

"God, Penny, she is gorgeous!" I said in awe while rocking her back and forth.

"Good thing you say that or else this would be awkward."

"What are you talking about?"

"Derek and I would like you to be her godmother."

This caused me to face her. She was smiling widely waiting for my reply. "Always."

I assumed they would offer Jack and Naya the responsibility, but who was I to argue, when I got another child to spoil. I had given up the possibility of children a long time ago. I had thought that maybe I would meet someone who already had children, but it didn't happen. I forced my thoughts back to the little girl in my arms.

"Yvonne?" I couldn't place the name immediately. "Derek's aunt, Cindi's mother." Penny clarified. "We wanted to name her Francine after his mother, but Fran wouldn't hear a word about it."

She rubbed her daughter's stomach, which caused her to giggle. Just then my own stomach growled. "Naya, we forgot the sandwiches!" Annie jumped up and ran to the buggy, pulling out a bag. Naya followed suit and they provided us with sandwiches and water bottles. Naya even sneaked into Aaron's room to give Jack his share.

I sat down and started eating still with the little girl in my arms. Annie sat down between Penny and me, telling us about her day. When Gracie started to wiggle, I placed her in her mother's arms. "Seems like someone's hungry." Penny excused herself and they went away.

"Where's Penny going?" Annie crawled in my lap and sipped her orange juice.

"She's feeding Gracie," Naya answered, opening one water bottle for her mother, who, by now, had gained some color back.

"Why can't she do it here?"

I ruffled her hair; her innocence was adorable. Of course it didn't bother her to watch Penny breastfeeding Grace. "It makes some people uncomfortable, pumpkin. Like Uncle Spence, you know?" He never got used to it; in fact, he blushed every time JJ even mentioned it.

"Mrs. Alington?" I hadn't noticed the young nurse coming at us. "That's me," Liv answered, and stood up. "Dr. Meyer has your results, please follow me."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Naya asked.

"Stay here, I'll manage."

We watched them go away. I finished my sandwich, but it wasn't half as satisfying as it should've been.

"Want some more?" Naya offered me her half. I hesitated; sure, I was starving, but I didn't felt right to rob her of her dinner. She started laughing. "It's okay, we had a pretty good lunch today, didn't we, Annie?"

"Naya made mac an' cheese, and muffins!" Annie was beaming. She always told me Naya was her favorite sitter. "Well, in that case…" I took the sandwich and nearly wolfed it down. Annie provided me with information about her past weeks. Usually, I was Skyping with Jack, Henry, and her, since they were less busy than the grown-ups and easier to reach sometimes. And I didn't want to be a stranger to them, somebody who used to work with their parents, or the godmother who showed up only twice a year…

Penny returned and lay Gracie back in the buggy. She was sound asleep. "She's perfect, Penny."

"Thank you. Now you and Hotch as her fairy godparents need to make sure she stays that way," she winked. So that was her plan, great…and since Annie and Naya were sitting right here with us, I couldn't say anything. She was her old sparkly self again. Sometimes I wasn't even sure why I loved her.

"Annie and Gracie are going to give Naya a run for her money," I said then, to change the subject.

"Annie already is," Naya complained in mock.

"What money?" Annie looked at me confused.

"That means you're pretty, pumpkin," I told her.

"But Naya is more pretty than I am!" Annie announced which caused Naya to smile. She was beautiful, there was no denying it. Naya had inherited her father's Spanish roots: tanned skin and dark brown hair. "How about we agree that we three are beautiful?" Annie seemed to like that.

We kept talking about the BAU kids and I showed the pictures I took on my trips around Europe. "That's seems icy," Penny stated, after I showed an image of Perm. "Well, it's Russia in the middle of February, what do you expect?" I asked her. To be fair, it wasn't so cold in Sochi; quite pleasant actually. Well, except for the murdered mobsters…

"I have to go to the loo," Annie announced suddenly, jumping off my lap. It was cute how she had adapted to Penny and me. Penny stood up and they walked to the restrooms.

I put my phone away and took a sip of water. Jack hadn't come out yet, but nobody went in either, so it couldn't be that bad.

"You were in there, how bad is he?" I asked Naya in a low tone. She was a med student, currently doing her internship in a hospital in D.C. She was my best shot for straight answers at the moment.

"He's hooked up to the machines till he wakes up. Let's just say he was damn lucky," she answered honestly, "but he's going to be all right. They might release him in a week or two."

"How lucky?" The words escaped before I could stop them.

Naya looked me in the eyes, apparently searching for something. Maybe she found it because she answered, her tone po-faced, "By a fraction of an inch."

* * *

**That was the second chapter, tell me what you think :)**


	3. Chapter 3

„_By __a __fraction __of __an __inch__."_

I sighed while the hot water purred over my tense muscles. Nayas' words were constantly ringing in my ears. I didn't know how I managed not to flinch or react anyhow, I just kept staring at her. But after her words I wasn't able to think clearly.

And now I just couldn't stop rerunning the whole events in the hospital in my mind over and over again.

JJ showed up alone at the hospital because something had come up and the others had to stay at the office. She was followed by Livs' husband Greg who took the slightly drugged Liv home.

It was a blur, I couldn't remember what we talked about, at all. It was after seven when Jessica arrived and send JJ and Garcia home.

I got to stay because Naya offered to be my ride back to D.C since she had to work and some more time so spare. In the end we left around nine, unfortunately Aaron didn't wake up while I was there.

The ride back was a lot more comfortable since I was too tired to make a fuss or talk, but Naya seemed okay with it. She turned the music up sang along the whole time which was quite entertaining.

I had spent a couple of hours with Clyde because returning to an empty hotel room to gloom didn't sound prosperous. He hadn't tried to talk to me, just ordered me scrambled eggs, spiked my tea with rum and let me sit on his couch while he did paperwork. I threw myself out at midnight and decided to take a hot shower.

And so here I was trying to wash off the horrible feelings that clenched on me. At least I could feel how my muscles started to relax, but my head wouldn't follow.

After an eternity I finally gave up, stepped out and dried myself. When I checked my phone I saw that Jack texted me. Aaron had woken up and seemed all right. But when I called him back I only reached the mailbox.

I turned off all lights and tried to go to sleep. But I only kept turning around searching for a comfortable position because sleep wouldn't come. It wasn't a comfortable bed, it wasn't familiar and my brains decided to give me a 'Best of' of all the horrible things that did and could've happened today.

A quick glance at the clock told me it was already half past three. Releasing a deep breath I turned on my back, staring at the ceiling once again. After a while I reached for my phone, but who could I call? Penny and JJ needed their sleep and there was no one else who I would want talk to about Aaron. Well, maybe Dave, but I wasn't that desperate yet.

Giving up I finally turned on the TV and started watching some comedy reruns. I set the timer just in case I dozed off.

I must've managed because the next thing I knew was that something heavy landed on me. My survival instinct kicked in immediately and I tried to overpower my attacker, who seemed so be awfully small. And then I heard a familiar squeal and a chuckle. I opened my eyes only to find a lot blonde hairs in my face. I relaxed and let Annie wrestle me down.

"Mercy" I groaned.

"No!" She was laughing hard and squeezing my neck. I stroked her head while sinking fully on my back again. She cuddled to my right side. "How many times do I have to tell you not to jump on sleeping law enforcement agents? I could've hurt you."

"Penny said it's okay." Annie pouted.

"Did she, huh?" I let my eyes wander and found her standing close by with Gracie in her arms.

"Is there room for one more?" Penny asked and I lifted my left arm from Annie's back.

Carefully Penny laid her daughter with her stomach on me. Gracie seemed as weary as I felt.

"Why so tired sweetheart?"

"That little culprit cried half off the night and kept us awake. She slept soundly while we were driving here…"

I chuckled and closed my eyes for another couple minutes, after I had a strong grip on the smaller one. Surprisingly Annie was laying still, all I could feel was her stroking Gracie's hand.

"I'll be right back" I heard Penny leaving the room.

"So you're spending the day with Penny, pumpkin?" I asked Annie. I could recall her telling me that her kindergarten had been closed for two weeks because of lice.

"Naya wanted to but her boss called and she has to work. But it's okay, Penny promised to watch Lion King and make brownies with me."

"That sounds like fun." I stroked her cheek. She was smiling widely, at least she was happy.

"She's so small" Annie was watching Gracie intently once again.

"Give her some time pumpkin, it took you five years to reach my hip."

I heard the door open again, "I brought breakfast!" Penny announced while she dropped my keycard at the table. And that reminded me of something.

"Ladies not that I didn't appreciate you being here, but how exactly did you get in the first time?"

"Mr. Clyde let us in" Annie told me. I had suspected that Penny hacked my door with her phone but that wasn't a better option…

"Did he? Isn't that nice." I tried shooting Penny a glare but she only chuckled.

"And he told me I look just like Mommy!" Annie continued excited. Of course he did, the old charmer. He probably had complimented Penny on her beautiful baby too.

"He's less scary than I remember" Penny stated.

"He usually gets intense around noon" I explained while catching a glimpse at the clock, it was after ten.

"Sit up. Let's eat and then we'll go home." Penny took Gracie and put her in her baby seat.

She handed me a bagel and a cup of coffee while she got Annie and herself hot chocolate and a croissant.

"What did your husband tell you?"

"He and Spencer were at the hospital last night. There wasn't any change. They saw Nayas' car leaving though." Yeah, a lime green beetle wasn't that hard to overlook.

"What happened to the bad guys?" Annie asked. As always she wasn't scared, just curious.

"Don't worry sweetie. They go straight to jail and will never get out again."

That surprised me but Penny gave me a look so decided to ask later.

When we finished eating I got ready while Penny stuffed back the few clothes that managed to escape from my suitcase. Leaving the keycard at the reception like Clyde told me to, we made our way to Penny's car. She was driving a bright red SUV now, since Esther had outlived her days.

Since Penny handed me the keys I took the front seat while she sat in the back between the girls.

It was nice to drive on the right side of the road. There were many things I could get used to but driving on the left side was more than I could take. Luckily I usually hadn't have to drive in London, there was always someone else around. But I drove outside of Britain quite a lot, especially in Germany, but that was another story.

I had turned on the radio for Annie who was now sinning along to Disney songs and Musicals.

We were halfway through when Penny's phone started ringing. I turned down the volume while listening to the conversation, which made no sense to me whatsoever.

"That was Naya. Apparently Jack is still at the hospital and refuses to leave. I promised her to take care of it." Penny explained.

"And how are you going to do that?" I asked curious while turning the music up a little so Annie was happy again. Jack could be as stubborn as his dad.

"Well, I have half an hour to figure it out."

When we reached the hospital I turned around and looked at Penny full of expectation.

"We'll figure it out somehow" she assured me. Chuckling I got out of the car.

"Why don't you stay in the car and let me handle it. I think we shouldn't disturb Gracie" I offered.

"That sounds like a plan" she agreed and I turned to Annie.

"Want to accompany me and get Jack out?"

She nodded enthusiastically so I opened her door to let her out.

I took her hand and we made our way to Aaron's room. I knocked lightly at the door and waited for an answer, but there was none.

"Wait a second" I opened the door and took a look inside because I didn't want to scare Annie. But everything looked rather harmless. Aaron was breathing on his own and there was only a heart monitor working. I led her inside.

Jack was sleeping on a chair next to his father's bed. His position didn't seem comfortable, my neck hurt just from looking at him.

"Can I jump him?" Annie asked excited.

"What is it with you jumping on people young lady?"

"He's not law 'ment" she tried to defend herself.

"Law enforcement" I repeated for her "but again: Jumping on people while they sleep can get you hurt."

I shook Jack gently waiting for him to wake up. He groaned and turned his head to the other side. "Jack, you need to wake up" I shook him again.

He mumbled something that sounded like 'five more minutes'.

"Jack, sweetie, come on. Penny is driving you home. You eat, sleep, take a shower and then you can come back."

"I'm staying here…" he mumbled.

"Be reasonable. Jack, you need some sleep, some real sleep. You look like hell. If you keep that up you'll get sick. Do you really want to scare Jessica even more?" I leaned in a little closer and whispered in his ear, "and think about Penny, her blood pressure just got better."

That turned out to be my glorious plan: Guilt Jack into leaving. Usually it was a good way to persuade any of us to do something.

"You never playing fair are you?" he asked when he finally opened his eyes.

"Did your Dad wake up again?" I ignored his remark and rubbed his shoulder.

He shook his head and stood up to stretch. He looked at his father one more time before turning back to me. "Em, I can't leave him here. I don't want him to be alone when he wakes up."

"I know, and neither do I. But you need some real sleep and a proper meal."

"You have to stay Emmy" Annie said suddenly. I looked back at her. She didn't look happy. But I knew she was right, maybe there was no other way to persuade Jack to leave the room right now.

I crouched down to her level and stroked her hair. "You know that I really want to watch 'Lion King' and make brownies right?" She nodded, hugged me and then went to Aaron's bed.

When I straightened up again I could see the guilt written on Jacks face. I rubbed his shoulder again "Penny's waiting in her car."

"Jack, help me" Annie asked. He went to her and lifted her up so she could kiss his father's cheek, "Get well soon, uncle Aaron."

It was hard to tell who was more touched by her actions. I bit back tears while Jack tried to overplay it with a smile as he put her down.

"Come on, we have to go" Annie took his hand and tried to pull him away.

Jack sighed and handed me a chain of keys. "Dads SUV is in the parking lot, just in case you need to go. I'll be back soon."

"If you show up in less than eight hours I'll ground you" I promised him while putting the keys into my purse. He laughed and left finally with Annie on his arm.

I crossed the distance and took a real look at Aaron. His hair was grayer now and he had a lot more wrinkles even thought his face was relaxed. Carefully I stroked his cheek.

This whole situation reminded me so much of the last time I had seen him in a hospital, when Foyet had attacked him. I still remembered the dread I felt when I saw the blood on his carpet, the hope when I found him and the relief when he finally woke up. At least this time he wouldn't have to face horrible news when he woke up.

I took the vacant chair and set it beside Aaron's bed. Only this time I sat so close near him that I could take his hand in mine.

And while I watched him I wondered if fifty-one was finally the time were you could start rethinking your life and regretting all your decisions.

I was wondering if it had been really the right decision to leave them all behind. I wasn't talking about leaving the BAU, because that was a step I had to take. It hadn't felt right to be there anymore. I had needed something else.

But maybe I should have found a job in D.C. and stay close to them. Not flee across the Atlantic Ocean. But I also loved the life I had in London. I had a great team, some new friends and Declan was there with me. I just missed my family sometimes, and I was missing out on so many things.

It was a ruddy trap. No matter what I thought, it was never enough.

I was so lost in my thought that I didn't recognize it first. But then I felt it again, his fingers moved against my hand. I focused my gaze on Aaron. He was staring right back at me.

* * *

**I know it's been a while, I had a few busy months. I hope you like the new chapter and tell me what you think. Next one won't take so long, promise :) **


End file.
